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Children Need Cooties

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Isn’t that snapshot of the microbiome on that child’s hand beautiful? Pretty is as pretty does. Our body NEEDS cooties. Without them, we’d be in a sorry state. Take care of whatcha got, and work to create diversity among the community within you. You won’t regret it! 😉
xoxo~ liz

The microbiome is truly beautiful! 🍄

*This is the hand of an 8-year-old boy who placed his hand on a petri dish after coming inside from playing. Now I am sure at first glance you thought to yourself how disgusting this is and how this MUST be a bad thing, however, it is actually the contrary

  • First I want to point out that we are made up of more foreign matter than we are our own cellular DNA. Let me explain, there are more microbes in and on your body that quantitatively make up more cells than the ones that are YOU
  • The microbiota is said to be about 1.3 for every 1 cell that is our own. These microbes are responsible for keeping us healthy, digesting our food, creating nutrients, assimilating our vitamins/minerals, the processing of our information/neurotransmitters, our immunity and nearly every process and mechanism in the entire body. They exist in your mouth, on your skin and most importantly in your gut. (Terrain)
  • With the continuous rise of industrialized farming, environmental toxins, and even the overuse of hand sanitizers, we are not only depleting the microbes in our soil but the ones on our bodies, too. This is like taking down our force field and allowing the pathogenic bacteria, viruses, mold, and other pathogens to infiltrate. .
  • This post is to continue to create awareness that bacteria/fungus/viruses are not truly “bad,” and we must support a healthy microbiome inside/out. THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS and we must respect life even down to its smallest counterparts
  • The avg. human should have about 3.5lbs of gut flora in the intestines, however, on the standard American diet of overly processed/refined foods and the overconsumption of pesticides/insecticides, as well as the other near 80K man-made chemicals we interact with daily, we would be lucky to have a couple ounces
  • Do your best to avoid high 💯 alcohol-based hand sanitizers as they kill our first line of defense, the same for your mouth, avoid using alcohol-based mouthwashes and synthetic chemicals in/on your bodies; you want to support our little friends, not kill them off. 👾
  • PARENTS this is especially important for your developing children and THEIR microbiome! @tasturm1
    ⌨️ @dr.josepharena
    Shared from Beautiful Beginnings

Parents Must Know!

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“For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you. ” ~ Proverbs 2:10-11

Clues from Restless Leg Syndrome – part 1

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The Trail of Clues in Restless Leg Syndrome: Part I
OK friends, let’s take a quick quiz straight from the pages of the National Institute of Health. These 4 questions are a simple “yes” or “no” answer, and will help identify if this next set of clues resonates with your current situation. 
✅Do you have a strong and often overwhelming need or urge to move your legs? (Often the urge may be accompanied by abnormal, unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations.)
✅Does the urge to move your legs start (or get worse) during rest and inactivity?
✅Does the urge to move your legs worsen in the evenings/at night?
✅Is the urge to move your legs partially or totally relieved by movement (at least temporarily)?
If you have answered yes to these questions, this post series may shed light on both why your legs may be restless and (next week) natural ways to help relieve the situation.  Bear in mind that beyond the questions above, there are several mimickers of restless leg syndrome, so the process of elimination may come in handy!   Poor circulation in the legs, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and ADD/ADHD are a few disorders known for restless leg mimicry.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)  is a very common condition affecting about 10% of adults in the USA and even some children. There are several medications commonly used to treat RLS. According to many pharmacy clients I’ve worked with over the years, the medications are often minimally effective, not without unpleasant side effects (GI distress, constipation and/or diarrhea), and do not address root causes.
RLS is not generally a precursor of things to come thankfully….but it is highly annoying and life disruptive nonetheless, especially as it often leads to chronic insomnia.
As any good detective would do, you’ll want to discover the motive (root cause) of your  RLS. Motives vary in each case, right?
*Occasionally, restless legs may be blamed on genetics, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Overwhelmingly, restless leg syndrome is given the dubious distinction of having an idiopathic origin. My personal feeling is that “idiopathic” is an overused medical term used when not enough time has been spent looking at clues to find the root cause! Understandably so….. insurance companies do not usually allow doctors the time or tools (comprehensive lab work) to actually find the source of the problem.
There are MANY factors leading to or exacerbating restless leg syndrome:
*Approximately 15% of RLS cases have an underlying iron deficiency. Iron deficiency may be easily checked with lab work. Checking iron alone is insufficient. Ferritin levels also need to be evaluated.
*Other nutritional deficiencies contributing to RLS include magnesium, calcium, potassium and/or zinc. Again, blood work is key. (If you get magnesium tested, make sure it is magnesium bound to red blood cells “mRBC” for a more accurate reading)
*Hormone imbalance is another common cause. Approximately 20% of pregnant women develop RLS, usually in the third trimester. This symptom tends to dissipate about 4 weeks after delivery of the baby. Women are more likely to have hormonal imbalances than men overall, and women are also more likely to develop RLS than men in life. Hyperthyroidism, another type of hormone imbalance, is an additional contributor.
*Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays many roles in the body, most notably in motivation and positive reinforcement of behavior. It also plays a critical role in the control of movement. So, as you might imagine, a dopamine imbalance may also play a key role in RLS. (We’ll cover dopamine deficiency in the near future.)
There also appears to be a relationship between ADD/ ADHD and restless leg syndrome. Additionally, pediatric restless leg disorder is sometimes misdiagnosed as growing pains or ADD.
*Symptoms of restless leg syndrome are common in people who have chronic kidney disease.  When the kidneys are not functioning as they should, anemia, iron deficiency, and high calcium levels in the blood commonly occur. As you’ve just learned, all of those conditions exacerbate RLS.
*Hypertension, diabetes, and increased BMI (body mass index) also contribute to the incidence of restless leg syndrome. (The medications used to manage these conditions are also worthy suspects!) Uncontrolled high blood sugar often leads to peripheral nerve damage; another contributor to restless legs.
*Medication induced restless legs may be among the most common (idiopathic?) causes for developing this disorder. Every medication acts in multiple ways throughout the body. Immediate side effects of medication are fairly easy to spot, but often side effects such as restless legs creep in slowly, making it hard to pinpoint the culprit. Medications known to cause restless legs over time include:
💊Certain antihistamines
💊Psychotropics (ex: haloperidol, aripiprazole, risperidone, quetiapine, mood stabilizers)
💊Antidepressants (SSRI’s,SNRI’s, and tricyclics, ex: fluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, paroxetine, imipramine, amitriptyline)
💊Some nausea medications (metoclopramide and prochlorperazine)
💊Acid reducers
💊Beta Blockers
💊Calcium channel blockers
💊Some sleep medications
I’ve talked to many pharmacy clients over the years who struggle with restless legs, and while it is a relatively benign condition, it is definitely life altering…anything that negatively affects quality sleep is! Westernized health culture is often very quick to prescribe or suggest over the counter medication to quickly solve a problem, overlooking the unintended possible consequences. Often, there is a gentler solution, but it does require ownership and a willingness to take personal responsibility for one’s own health management.  There will always be a time and a place for western medicine, but it behooves us all to leave that as a last resort whenever possible.
I hope this helped someone identify their restless leg trigger(s). Next week I’ll talk about healthy options for living with RLS.
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#goodmedicine

Vagal Nerve – part 2

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Raise your hand if you want a resilient nervous system.🙋‍♀️ Uh huh… that’s what I thought. I do too! 😊I want to be healthier overall, quicker to recover from stressful situations, happier, stronger, more empathetic, better able to concentrate, and have thriving relationships…. ALL things associated with healthy vagal tone.

Vagal tone should be nurtured daily if it is to function optimally. You might be surprised at how easy some of these tips are!

⭐Poor breathing habits. The sedentary nature of our current society has been no friend to the vagus nerve. Poor posture, including the downward tilt of the head as we look at our computer and phone screens restricts the airways from throat to lungs. If you walk into nearly any nursing home you will see posture associated with long term low vagal tone. Dr. Navaz Habib👨‍⚕️, author of Activate Your Vagus Nerve, makes a compelling argument that dysfunctional breathing is the most common cause of poor vagus nerve function. Friends, this is such an easy (and free) fix. Address posture (revisit that post!), and incorporate breathing slowly and “belly button” deeply at least a few times every hour. This is nourishing to the vagus nerve, and feels good too!

⭐Alternate nostril breathing👃. Inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the opposite nostril has a profound effect on the nervous system and an increase in oxygen consumption. One study found that inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left nostril for approximately 3 minutes four times a day for a month increased oxygen consumption by 37% compared to normal breathing practices. (Doing the reverse activity.. Inhaling through the left and exhaling on the right showed an oxygen increase of 24%) It was suggested in the study that this type of breathing may reduce the release of stress hormones (a benefit in vagus nerve health). As an added bonus, you will likely find yourself more focused and awake by “right nostril breathing” and more relaxed and less anxious by “left nostril breathing”. Knowing this, consider supporting these techniques with Brain Power or En-R-Gee essential oil blends when “right nostril breathing”, or Tranquil, Peace and Calming, or Sacred Mountain essential oils blends when “left nostril breathing”. 

⭐Prayer and meditation🙏 are both scientifically proven to increase parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) activity which improves vagal tone. Incorporating essential oils during prayer and meditation is a beautiful way to enhance both practices. Some of my favorites include Frankincense, Peace & Calming, RC, and Raven. 

⭐Practice tensing stomach muscles or coughing on purpose.

⭐Massage…..even an ear massage. Massaging the areas of the ear👂 called the tragus and cymba concha can trigger a mild vagal response. Additionally, acupuncture or acupuncture point based therapy (check out Dolphin MPS for one such type) are hugely helpful.

⭐Keeping a positive attitude and emotion set. This is truly a “use it or lose it” situation. Affirmations and constructive emotions can spark a self fulfilling future for all aspects of the body, including vagal tone. Destructive emotions can also do this but in the opposite direction. (ex: If you believe you will fail, you probably will! ) Direct good thoughts and actions towards other people and watch your vagal tone improve. Act on kindness, compassion, and empathy. Doesn’t the world need more of this anyway? It’s fascinating that attitude alone can deeply impact the function of the vagus nerve. God has knit us together in wondrous ways!

⭐Belong to a socially active community 🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️🧍‍♀️. Social isolation does no favors to vagal tone. Find your tribe and spend time with them in person. Oxytocin is a hormone which acts as a neurotransmitter. Its presence has a powerful effect on the health of the vagus nerve. Hugging, laughing, breastfeeding, speaking to someone in person or on the phone, being trusted by someone, and listening to soothing music are all ways to release oxytocin. Surprisingly, shooting guns can be included in this list! 
⭐Eating correctly. Saying words of gratitude🙏 over your food actually stimulate the vagus nerve. Chewing slowly and eating mindfully (fully present) allows the body to recognize the type of nutrients being released into the body, and to release the appropriate enzymes and digestive juices needed to make them bioavailable (or boot them out as a toxin). It would come as no surprise that an unhealthy vagal tone has a negative effect on digestive juices, especially those released by the gallbladder.
⭐Intermittent fasting. There are a myriad of benefits of intermittent fasting, including decreasing inflammation in the body. Inflammation negatively affects vagal tone. Of course intermittent fasting is only one way to help the body in this manner. Any time you remove a toxin source from your body’s daily load, you will be showing your vagus nerve TLC. Thank goodness for the clean household and personal care products we have access to! #ThanksYL  
⭐Foods that have been found to support healthy vagal tone include fermented foods (ex: kombucha, cheeses, plain yogurt), high fiber foods (ex: nuts, fruits, vegetables) and foods high in Omega3’s. If you feel you might not get enough of any of these food groups, supplement with YL Life -9 (or MightyPro) probiotic, Balance Complete Meal Replacement, and OmegaGize3 (or Mindwise) respectively. Additionally, adequate zinc levels contribute to a healthy vagal tone. (You’ll want to go back and re-read the section on zinc. It may tie together some clues for you)
⭐How we sleep matters😴. Laying on the right side has the highest vagal stimulation.
⭐Gargling. This contracts the muscles in the back of the throat which causes direct stimulation of the vagus nerve. Humming (especially while covering the ears) and singing loudly are also helpful.
⭐Improving vagal tone thru exercise💪 and yoga is reason #100 to do both. Seriously. Mental and physical health will only improve in amazing ways when exercise and yoga are incorporated into healthy habits.
For the more adventurous spirit, other ways to spark quick vagal tone improvement include ❄️cold❄️ showers, ❄️ice baths❄️,  ❄️cryotherapy ❄️ or coffee☕️ enemas (Yes indeedy! 😉). 
Our brains are constantly checking on us to see if we feel safe or not. It is only when the brain perceives safety that we are able to engage socially, have curiosity, feel happy, and be playful. If it has been awhile since you’ve felt this way, this would be another set of clues indicating that your vagus nerve needs some additional love and attention.
It may seem hard to “want” to incorporate these suggestions into your healthy habits if all of this is new to you, but if you raised your hand a few minutes ago in a bid for resiliency, it’s time to do “the things.” Just like a teenager who is hard to wake up in the morning, waking up the vagus nerve may take perseverance. Find your tribe and work together to make those vagal nerves toned and happy!
xoxo~ liz

PS: Friends, there is an enormous amount of information on the vagus nerve and polyvagal theory. If this has sparked your interest, please DO do some more digging on your own. There is simply no way to do this particular topic justice in a couple of posts.

  
#sharingiscaring
#caringforyourvagusnerveisgoodmedicine
#healthdetective
#goodmedicine
#thanksYL
❄️

Weston A. Price Foundation Conference Links and Recap

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​I’m still going through information gathered from the Weston A Price conference last month. Weston A Price is an incredible resource for information and locating healthy local food, and the best of the best in science as it relates to health and healthy food.
I’m going to drop some resources here, and really  suggest considering a membership (40$ per year, which includes a quarterly journal with unsurpassed well cited articles). It is well worth the annual membership.  (BELOW) 
WAPF has also kindly put (on their website) links to several speakers from the conference: ( BELOW)
Robert F Kennedy from the Children’s Health Defense  
Dell Bigtree and “The Colossal Blunder” (a riveting presentation you absolutely must watch
David Martin ( Weaponization of the c0r0navirus: When nature is conscripted to harm )
WAPF has local chapters that can help you find locally sourced nutrient dense food in your area.  You can find information about them on their website. 
Here are two companies that also ship Grass fed/ pasture raised, regeneratively sourced meats (if no local option exists for you): 
Force of Nature: https://forceofnature.com/collections/all 
Burgundy Pasture Beef: https://burgundypasturebeef.com/ 
Health comes at a price. You can pay the farmer, or you can pay the pharmacist. It’s our choice to make.
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#WAPF
#knowledgeisgoodmedicine
#connectionswithincommunity
#lookingoutforoneanother

weaponization of coronavirus
weston a price foundation
robert f kennedy: children’s defense fund
del bigtree & the colossal blunder

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